Calling all Pokemon fans! This amazing Pokemon Detective Pikachu cake is sure to impress fans of the movie and Pokemon fans in general.
I mean how cute is this cake? Is your kid a Pokemon fan? Make them this cake for their birthday or just surprise them, without it being a special occasion. Or maybe you are an adult and want to throw a themed party?
You don’t have to be a pro with cake baking and cake decorating to make this either. I am not a pro by any means when it comes to decorating cakes. The fondant work in for this Pokemon Detective Pikachu cake is basic, so don’t get scared! It is easy to make, if I can do it. You can do it. Let’s get cake decorating!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients
In order to make this cute Pokemon Detective Pikachu cake you will need several ingredients and tools:
- 1 baked cake (enough to fill a 13×9 or 10-inch round pan, 1 cake box works, or use a homemade cake) I have several cake recipes you can choose from.
- Detective Pikachu Template
- Yellow Fondant
- Black Fondant
- Red Fondant
- White Fondant
- Brown Fondant or Brown icing color
- Scissors
- Piping tips
- Fondant tool
- Rolling Pin
- Buttercream Frosting
- Spatula or cake spatula
- 12-inch cake board
Step 2: How to make a Pokemon Detective Pikachu cake
Begin by baking the cake. You can use your favorite box cake mix and bake it in a 10-inch round cake pan or bake it in a 13×9 inch rectangle pan. Follow the instructions on the box and use any extra ingredients as necessary.
If you want to make the cake from scratch you can use this white sheet cake recipe, this chocolate cake recipe, vanilla cake recipe, and many others here on my website.
Once the cake has been baked allow it to cool completely. While the cake is cooling you can find and prep the Detective Pikachu template.
For the template do a google search for a Detective Pikachu picture and print it out on an 8×11 sheet of paper. Or you can download this template. It is okay if your ink is running out, you just need the template for a guide.
Take scissors and cut around the Detective Pikachu. Cut off the ears and the had, but save those pieces of paper for later.
Remove the cake from the pan and place it on a cake board. Then place the cut out template on top. Cut around it with a knife. Save those scraps they will be used for the ears.
To give the illusion the tail is behind him, we need to trim it a bit. Cut down about half way along the edge of this head and body, then cut horizontally half way through the tail. This will give the tail a nice recessed look.
Now, take the ears templates that you cut away from the main template and cut out some ears from the cake scraps. Any leftover cake scraps can now be eaten, or you could make cake pops with them.
Step 3: Decorating the Pokemon Detective Pikachu cake
If you need to level the cake a bit, you can trim it so it is level. Damp cake strips around the outside of the cake pan, helps to prevent doming.
Now it is time to cover the whole cake with buttercream frosting. You can use store-bought frosting or use this homemade buttercream frosting. The frosting will also act as glue to hold the ears in place before wrapping it in fondant.
Time to cover the Pokemon Detective Pikachu cake with yellow fondant. You can use storebought or make this homemade marshmallow fondant and color it. Take about half of the yellow fondant from the box which is about 12 ounces or 340g. Knead it in your hands until it is soft.
Then roll it out into a large rectangle or circle until it is about 1/8th of an inch thick. The shape doesn’t really matter, just make sure it is about two inches larger than the cake itself all the way around it.
Place the fondant on the cake and use clean hands to form the fondant around it. A fondant shaping tool works great for this.
Trim away the excess yellow fondant from the base of the cake. You can see the little Pokemon Detective Pikachu cake really taking shape now.
Step 4: Detective Pikachu cake details
Take the fondant tool and looking at your template gently push down and make indentions in the fondant which will make the feet more pronounced. Don’t push too hard, otherwise the fondant will tear. Once you are done shaping the feet, take a knife and make little slits for the toes.
Then make sure to shape underneath the chin. Again, be careful, so you don’t tear the fondant. Grab some more yellow fondant and shape little arms out of it and place them where they should be using the template as a guide. If you need to dab a little water on it, which will act as glue for the arms.
If you want you can use the knife and put little slits for the fingers.
You are done with the yellow fondant. Time for the other details. Take the black fondant and knead it until soft. Grab a small piece and roll it out thin then wrap it round the ear tips using the template as a guide. Trim any excess away at the bottom. And use water as glue as necessary.
Next, make a little nose and mouth out of the black fondant and attach it to the Pikachu cake face. Use the template as a guide for where to place the nose and mouth. You will probably also need a little bit of water as glue. Just use a toothpick or very small paint brush for the water.
Once last thing you need to do with the black fondant is make little pupils for the eyes. I just use a round piping bag tip, because it makes a perfect small circle.
Step 5: Cheeks and eyes for Pikachu cake
Take some read fondant and knead it into your hands. You won’t need very much. Then roll it out flat about 1/8th of an inch. Use the bigger opening side of the piping tip as a little cutter, and cut out larger circles of red fondant for the cheeks. You can find a piping back tip that matches the size on the template.
Place the red cheeks on Pokemon Detective Pikachu cake. Getting close to being done.
Next time to make the eyes. The black pupils have already been made, just need the rest of the eyes. Take some brown fondant, or color some white fondant with brown food gel coloring, and knead the color in until the fondant turns brown.
Roll it out flat and cut circles out with the piping tip again, similar in size to the cheek circles. Put them in place on the face. Then cut out really small circles out of white fondant for the highlights in the eyes, and put them in place. Almost there!
Step 6: Finish the Pokemon Detective Pikachu cake
The only thing left to do is to make his hat. Take a ball of the brown fondant and shape it into a detective hat and then glue it on top of his head with some water. Then just take a little round ball of brown fondant and place it in the middle of his hat on top to finish the look.
Now the Pokemon cake is complete. Who wouldn’t like this adorable Detective Pikachu cake. And if you want to make just a Pikachu cake, you can leave off the brown fondant hat. Enjoy!
How long does the Detective Pikachu cake last?
If you cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil or place it in an airtight container, it will last 3 to 4 days at room temperature or about a week in the fridge. You can also freeze the cake if you want, where it will keep for a few months.
Here are some other recipes you may like:
Pokemon Detective Pikachu Cake
Equipment
- Detective Pikachu Template
- Scissors
- Piping tips
- Fondant tool
- rolling pin
- Spatula or cake spatula
- 12-inch cake board
Ingredients
- 1 Baked cake enough to fill a 13×9 or 10-inch round pan, 1 cake box works, or use a homemade cake
- 1 1/2 cups Yellow Fondant 12 oz (340g)
- 1/4 cup Black Fondant 2 oz (56g)
- 1 tbsp Red Fondant 1/2 oz (14g)
- 1 tsp White Fondant (5g)
- 3/4 cup Brown Fondant or Brown icing color with the white fondant 6 oz (168g)
- 1 cup Buttercream frosting, or any frosting (120g)
Instructions
- Bake a standard cake recipe, either a box cake mix or your favorite homemade cake recipe in a 10-inch round cake pan or 9×13 pan. I have several you can use here on this website. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Search google images for a Detective Pikachu face to use as a template or you can use this one. Cut around the template removing the excess paper. Cut off the ears and hat and save those for later.
- Put the cake on a cake board. Then place your template on top of the cake and cut around it with a knife. Save the leftover cake bits, we will use these for the ears.
- Time to trim the tail, so it isn't so fat. Cut halfway down into the cake using the template as a guide. Then cut it horizontally to essentially make the tail half as thick.
- Next, place the paper ear pieces on some cake scraps and cut those out with a knife and place them on the cake board.
- Now frost the whole cake with your choice of frosting. The frosting will help glue the ears in place.
- Take a large chunk of yellow fondant and knead it until soft. Then roll it out to it is at least a few inches larger than the cake on all sides, and about 1/8th of an inch thick. Place the fondant over the cake and smooth around it with a smoother or your clean hands, to form it to the cake. Trim the excess at the bottom of with a knife.
- Define the feet a little better by indenting the fondant with a fondant tool, or a handle of a butter knife. Do the same with the chin. This isn't necessary but it adds depth and detail. Run the knife gently over the feet to resemble toes.
- Grab some more yellow fondant and form the arms, use the template as a guide. Place them on the cake, use a bit of water as glue.
- Roll out some black fondant and cover the ear tips. Place a dab of water where the nose will go, then form a little tiny triangle shape from the black fondant and place it where the nose should go.Then using a toothpick and a bit of water draw an outline where the mouth should go. Take a tiny piece of black fondant, roll it out and then place it for the mouth.
- Now use a piping tip to cut out round pupils out of the black fondant.
- Next, take some red fondant and knead it a bit in your hands. Then roll it out really thin and using the bigger end of your piping tip cut out two cheek circles. Then place them on the cake, again using water if needed to get it to stick.
- If you didn't buy brown fondant, you need to make some with white fondant and a bit of brown icing color. Take a toothpick and dip it into the icing color and then put it onto the white fondant. Then knead in the color, repeat until you get the desired brown, or for course you can skip this step if you bought brown fondant.Roll a little bit of brown fondant out then using the same piping tip you used for the cheeks, cut out two brown eyes. Then place them on the cake. Next place your black pupils. Then place two small white specs for the eyeball highlight.
- Now grab a small ball of brown fondant and shape it into his had. Set it on his head. Then make a little ball of brown fondant and put it on the hat to complete the detective look. You are finished! Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Do you like this recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
This is such a cool cake! You have inspired me to tackle fondant on my next cake. Thanks for the great tips!
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Great way to decorate a cake! 🙂
Thank you so much, Valentina!
This cake is beyond cool! Great tips and instructions!
Thank you so much! 🙂